John From Albany – Mets Breakfast Links 3/14/2020

First some good news, New York Post: Mets executive Donovan Mitchell Sr. tests negative for coronavirus. Mitchell is the father of Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who tested positive for the coronavirus, joining teammate Rudy Gobert as the first known cases among pro athletes in the U.S.

Yahoo Sports: MLB could still have a 162-game season. Multiple reports indicate that MLB might still be interested in having a 162-game season, despite the delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As we wrote earlier today, the current line of thinking is that Opening Day could come as late as May. In the absolute best-case scenario that play resumes on May 1st, that could mean the playoffs bleeding deep into November, or possibly even December.

MLB Trade Rumors:

COVID-19’s Effect On Minor Leaguers: “Professional sports’ coronavirus-forced shutdown could have an especially negative effect on minor league baseball players. Even in the best of times, their salaries pale in comparison to players in the majors. And now that play’s suspended for an indeterminate amount of time, minor leaguers can’t even receive unemployment benefits because they’re under contract with major league teams, attorney Garrett Broshuis points out on Twitter. Fortunately, though, multiple teams in the majors seem to be stepping up on behalf of players from lower leagues.

The Rangers are among the organizations that have mentioned the idea of paying minor leaguers to MLB during the game’s absence, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. It’s unclear which actions MLB will take in response, but this is no doubt a dire situation for minor leaguers, who haven’t collected salaries since last August.”

Tigers Ownership Announces Fund For Part-Time Workers.

MLB Coronavirus Response: Rosters, Schedule: White Sox GM Rick Hahn says that MLB has temporarily paused player transactions, MLB.com’s Scott Merkin reports (via Twitter). The freeze will be in place through the weekend, at least.

MLB Players Advised To Leave Spring Facilities.

Teams Make Differing Arrangements As MLB Suspends Spring Training.   The article lists what a number of teams are doing (Mets not included).  One key item: The Yankees players have unanimously voted to remain and keep training, per player rep Zack Britton (via George A. King III of the New York Post, on Twitter). GM Brian Cashman says he will remain as well, along with the coaching and training staff, Jack Curry of YES Network tweets.

Yahoo Sports: MLB, MLBPA advising players to leave camps after coronavirus shutdown. Yahoo Sports’ Hannah Keyser reported that camps will remain open for the players who wish to stay, but the facilities may not be fully staffed.

AP News: MLB allows players to leave after canceling spring training.

NY Post: Scott Boras: MLB players already in best ‘isolation’ situation. Scott Boras, baseball’s most renowned player representative, argued that major leaguers would be best served staying and working out at teams’ spring training sites rather than traveling home.

AP News: NCAA plans to extend eligibility of spring sports athletes.

AP News: No fans, no work: Arena workers caught in sports shutdown.

Yahoo Sports: Bryce Harper, Phillies players spending unexpected free time together.

12up.com: Trevor Bauer is Organizing a Mic'd up Sandlot Baseball Game for MLB Players in Arizona and We Need This Right Now.

Yahoo Sports: Diamondbacks minor leaguer tested for coronavirus.

The NY Times announcement on MLB delaying the season included the other times baseball stopped: 1995, when a strike delayed the opener until late April, and teams played only 144 games….Labor issues delayed the start of the 1972 season, disrupted the middle of the 1981 season and ended the 1994 season in August. The league postponed a week of games after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, making them up at the end of the regular season and pushing back the postseason by a week. The 1989 World Series was also suspended for more than a week after an earthquake struck Northern California just before the scheduled start of Game 3 in San Francisco.

SNY.TV: Mets' Jeff McNeil has no idea what to do without baseball.  He did play some Monopoly yesterday.

Joel Sherman NY Post: MLB’s new decisions hint season will be delayed months for coronavirus.

The NY Post detailed all the craziness in this year's Mets off season. 

NY Post: Mike Piazza says to stay isolated as much as possible. 

12up.com: 3 Worst Contracts on the Mets Right Now - 3. Jeurys Familia, 2. Yoenis Céspedes, 1. Robinson Cano. “Once a superstar, Cano had a lackluster 2019, where he batted .256 with only 13 home runs. Those numbers are not awful, but do not make up for the gargantuan amount of money he will make over the next four seasons.”

CBS Sports: Jerry Seinfeld says he has no interest in buying the New York Mets. Rumor has it Kramer also has no interest in buying the team.

SNY.TV: Mets' Brandon Nimmo was turning heads in spring training.

Mets Merized Online: Nimmo, Fargas Among MLB Players That Impressed Scouts

12up.com: VIDEO: Andrew McCutchen Has Perfect Solution to Being Stuck in Empty Phillies Locker Room – Dance.

You Tube: Every out of Johan Santana's no hitter.

Yesterday at Mack’s Mets:

Reese Kaplan -- How Long Will MLB Postpone the 2020 Season?

David Rubin: Mets (& Baseball) News & Notes.

Blast From The Past - What if Daniel Murphy is For Real?

Press Release: Binghamton Rumble Ponies Statement Regarding 2020 Season.

Mack’s Blast From The Past comes from 3-14-12 – Mack on getting to the Bigs.

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

• Josh Stinson (1988)
• Wilfred Astudillo (2000)

Transactions:

New York Mets claimed Fernando Nieve on waivers from the Houston Astros on March 14, 2009.

Baltimore Orioles signed Johan Santana of the New York Mets as a free agent on March 14, 2014.

National Pastime.com:

1961	The Mets, who will play their inaugural season next year, lure former Yankee general manager George Weiss out of retirement to become the club's first president. The expansion team is believed to have been offered the iron-fisted executive a five-year deal at $100,000 annually, more than he ever earned during his 14 seasons with the Bronx Bombers.

Want more?  Check out https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/news. 

Want something else tracked here each day?  Please leave a comment below.